Inebriate is a noun meaning a person who is habitually drunk or intoxicated. In general usage it refers to someone who appears inebriated, often in a casual or historical context. The term can carry neutral, descriptive, or slightly judgmental connotations depending on tone and setting.
"The landlord refused service to the inebriate after he began to stumble at the bar."
"Historically, a court might label certain defendants as inebriates due to alcohol impairment."
"The brochure described inebriates as needing rehabilitation rather than punishment."
"During the 19th-century play, the character was portrayed as a pitiable inebriate, struggling with memory and balance."
Inebriate derives from Latin inebriatus, past participle of inebriāre, meaning to intoxicate or make drunk. The Latin root in- (into, on) combined with ebrius (drunk) produced inebriatus, then passed into English via Old French inebrier or directly as inebriate in the late medieval/early modern periods. The noun usage became common in medical, legal, and social contexts, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, where discussions about drunkenness, moral reform, and temperance movements used terms like inebriate to refer to individuals affected by alcohol. Over time, the sense shifted from functional/clinical descriptions to more evaluative social labels, though the term remains chiefly historical or formal in modern usage. First known uses appear in early modern English texts, with literary and legal documents employing inebriate to describe a person under the influence or as someone requiring intervention. The word’s cadence and two-zenith stress pattern (i-NEB-ri-ate) reflect its Latin-derived morphology, with the suffix -ate functioning as a productive noun-former in English in certain contexts. The evolution mirrors broader changes in attitudes toward intoxication and social welfare, evolving from a clinical descriptor to a term encountered mainly in literature, historical studies, or specialized discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Inebriate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Inebriate"
-ate sounds
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Pronounce it as i-NEH-bree-ate, with four syllables. IPA US/UK/AU: /ɪˈnɛb.ri.eɪt/. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /ɪˈnɛb/. The middle syllable features a short e as in ‘bet,’ followed by /ri/ as in ‘reef,’ and ends with /eɪt/ as in ‘gate.’ Keep the final /eɪt/ tense and avoid turning it into a schwa. Audio guidance can be found on Pronounce and major dictionaries.
Common errors include reducing to three syllables (ｲn-ebr-iate) or misplacing the stress on the first syllable. Another pitfall is slurring the middle /ri/ into a single /ri/ cluster without clear vowel separation. Correct by articulating it as four distinct syllables: i-neb-ri-ate, stressing the second syllable and maintaining a crisp /ri/ rather than a muted /rɪ/.
US/UK/AU share the final /eɪt/ and the /ɪ/ initial, but rhoticity affects the onset: US is rhotic, with /ɪˈnɛb.ri.eɪt/; UK/AU tend to be non-rhotic in rapid, formal speech, often sounding /ɪˈnebrieɪt/ with a slightly weaker r. Vowel quality in the /ɛ/ of the second syllable can shift toward a more fronted mid-open vowel in UK, while AU maintains US-like?rhotics but with Australian vowel shifts; listen for subtle diphthong adjustments in /eɪt/ across regions.
Because it blends a heavy consonant cluster with a multi-syllabic rhythm and a stress shift. The second syllable carries primary stress, but the final /eɪt/ requires a crisp, elongated vowel that doesn’t release too early. The /neb/ cluster also includes a short, tense vowel that can be misarticulated if you blunt the /e/. Practicing with minimal pairs helps you lock the correct stress and vowel clarity.
The word’s distinctive feature is the tall two-peak stress pattern with a mid syllable /neb/ that can collapse in rapid speech. You’ll want a full-tongue /n/ and a clear /eb/ vowel sequence before the rolling /ri/ and final /eɪt/. The unique challenge is maintaining four distinguishable syllables while keeping the final /eɪt/ crisp and not swallowed. IPA cues: /ɪˈnɛb.ri.eɪt/.
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